Audi Increases Worldwide Deliveries
World Debut of the Audi allroad quattro in Geneva
20 Years of quattro Success
Ingolstadt (ots)
Audi has made a successful start into the new year: "In the first two months of this year we have been able to once again increase our deliveries to customers", stated Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, the Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, today at the world debut of the Audi allroad quattro at the Geneva Motor Show. Deliveries of Audi cars to customers by the end of February will presumably amount to more than 90,000 units worldwide, approximately 11 per cent more than in the same period last year.
Paefgen: "We are confident that we will be able to further improve our good position in the premium segment by introducing new products and expanding our model line-up also in future. In this process we expect substantial momemtum from our new Audi A2, the first large-scale production car in the world made of aluminium, and the allroad quattro, a car combining the comfort of a saloon with outstanding offroad driving qualities." The A2 will be introduced into the market as of mid-June, deliveries of the allroad quattro are starting in May.
The first Audi quattro made its debut 20 years ago in Geneva, establishing "a strong foundation", in Paefgen's words, "for the success the Company is enjoying today". In the course of the last 20 years Audi has built more than 800,000 cars with quattro drive. Five years ago 10 per cent of all cars delivered to customers by Audi came with permanent four-wheel drive, the share of Audi quattros then increasing to more than 25 per cent last year. This year, in turn, Audi anticipates the sales of four-wheel-drive models to increase further to approximately 30 per cent.
Audi operates worldwide in developing and manufacturing high-quality, high-tech automobiles. The company produces in Germany, Hungary, Brazil, China, and South Africa. In 1999 Audi's production output amounted to approximately 626,000 cars and more than 1.2 million engines, with turnover of more than DM 29 billion. The Audi Group has a workforce of approximately 46,500 employees.
Communication: Corporate and Finance Joachim Cordshagen, Tel ++49/841 89 36340 E-mail: joachim.cordshagen@audi.de Jürgen De Graeve, Tel ++49/841 89 34084 E-mail: juergen.degraeve@audi.de
Original content of: Audi AG, transmitted by news aktuell